Systematic Review of Sexual Dysfunction Among Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Introduction: The clinical observations that many Vietnam veterans complained of sexual problems after returning from active duty have led to the question of a correlation between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sexual dysfunction (SD).

Aim: The purpose of this review is to systematically review the current literature regarding SD in male veterans with PTSD.

Methods: A systematic literature search, primarily in PubMed, the Cochrane database, and PsycINFO, was conducted. The keywords Sexual Dysfunction, Psychological OR Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological AND Stress Disorders, and Post-Traumatic were used. All manuscripts with relevance to the aim of the review were reviewed and considered.

Main outcome measure: A total of 123 results were generated from the search. There were 11 publications regarding SD in veterans with PTSD included in the review.

Results: The included studies are described in detail in the Results section. All but one study found an increased and significant prevalence of SD among male veterans with PTSD, especially erectile dysfunction and decreased sexual desire. SD increased in patients with PTSD, with a prevalence between 8.4% and 88.6%; the large prevalence range were partly the result of methodological differences. Only two studies have examined the correlation between the severity of PTSD symptoms and SD, with conflicting results. Samples were of relatively moderate size. Only a few confounding factors were accounted for in the included studies.

Conclusion: Increasing evidence suggests a correlation between PTSD and SD, but still, relatively few studies have addressed these questions. Further investigation is needed into the correlation between PTSD and SD, preferably taking severity of PTSD symptoms into account, along with confounders such as use of psychotropic medication, somatic illness, drug and alcohol abuse, and comorbid psychiatric illness. Bentsen IL, Giraldi AGE, Kristensen E, and Andersen HS. Systematic review of sexual dysfunction among veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder. Sex Med Rev 2015;3:78-87.

Keywords: Erectile Dysfunction; Hypoactive Sexual Desire; Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder; Sexual Dysfunction; Sexual Function.